Yi Ting stood in the dark place of the two pots of plain wax plum by the patio, watching the young master and Mu Zhenzhen go up to the south building, the staircase squeaked, and the young master was still whispering something to Mu Zhenzhen - the patio was very cold, the fragrance of the plain wax plum was refreshing, Yi Ting rubbed his hands and walked to the back garden, the first few days of heavy snow, the snow in the back garden was almost two feet thick, Shi Shuang, Lai Wang and Fu Cheng, Fu Dagong father and son cleaned up for most of the day to clean up the gravel path, and now from the hall to the wooden building in the back garden, both sides of the road are tamped snow ridges- The moonlight of the thirteenth month of the month is sprinkled like ice chips, making people feel cold, Yiting walked to the back garden gate under the two laurel trees and stopped, looked up at the three-tree two-story wooden building, upstairs by the left two rooms to reveal the light, the first one on the left should be Zong Yishan in the residence, three months ago Zong Yishan family of three came to Shanyin with Zhang Ruiyang, at first more than a month did not find a suitable place to live, just borrowed to live in this back garden wooden building, Yi Ting saw that Zong Yishan's parents were old, they often came to help do something, the two elders of the Zong family liked Yi Ting very much, Yi Ting, like their son, This Zong Yishan lived in this small building in the back garden for a few days last year, and Yi Ting helped make the bed and fold the quilt, serve tea and water, at that time Yi Ting felt that this Zong Gongzi was a little special, and was polite and polite to her maidservant, very polite, at that time Yi Ting didn't dare to think about it, and then Yi Ting learned about Zong Yishan's encounter from the young master Zhang Yuan, Yi Ting was suddenly moved, and there was great pity and admiration, and God fulfilled people's wishes, this Zong Yishan actually lived here in Dongzhang - Yi Ting didn't think he was worthy of Zong Yishan because he learned that Zong Yishan was the son of a slave, Although Yi Ting is a servant girl, her heart has never been low, and her actions are a little spicy, this may be Zhang's mother Lu Shi Cihe used her out, Yi Ting does not feel that she is inferior to anyone, but this feeling of self-esteem can only be put in her heart, the gap between the noble and the low level will not exist because of her self-esteem and her ignorance, and it still oppresses her heavily, so that she keeps her duty, and now that she knows the identity of Zong Yishan, it is equivalent to going to a heavy obstacle, her affection for Zong Yishan has not changed at all, just so that she can boldly pursue, Dare to show her true feelings, as for whether Zong Yishan likes her, that's another matter, anyway, she likes Zong Yishan, after Zong Yishan's family moved away, she couldn't do anything - Zhang's mother Lu had already seen the thoughts of this big girl, Yiting was nineteen years old, and after the New Year, she would be twenty, and if she didn't marry, she would be an old girl, and Zhang's mother Lu was waiting for Zhang Yuan to come back and discuss with Zhang Yuan...... In the large bedroom on the second floor of the South Building, Zhang Ruiyang and Lu Shi sat side by side on the circle chairs, Zhang Yuan sat on the low pestle in front of the second elder, Mu Zhenzhen stood on the side, Zhang Yuan heard his mother say this, and said with a smile: "Sister Yiting is tempted, this is a good thing, I can probe Zong Yishan's tone." ”

Zhang's mother Lu said: "Yiting is very willing, but I'm afraid that Zong Yishan will not be willing, and they all say that this Zong Yishan is very talented, right?" ”

Zhang Ruiyang and Zong Yishan all the way from Jinling to Shanyin, the boat has nothing to do, every time he talks with Zong Yishan, he admires Zong Yishan's talent and learning, and then said: "If Zong Yishan can participate in the imperial examination, I dare not say that the township examination and the will test will be successful, this student is a must, and his calligraphy is even better, otherwise how can he write for Dong Hanlin." Asked Zhang Yuan: "I heard that you want to change your identity for Zong Yishan so that he can participate in the imperial examination?" ”

Zhang Yuan said: "My son has this intention, and Jiao Taishi also supports it." ”

Zhang Ruiyang nodded and said, "It is not uncommon for the son of a slave to participate in the imperial examination and high school, and it is not difficult to have Jiao Zhuangyuan to help him." ”

Zhang's mother Lu said: "Then isn't my Yiting a little unworthy of him?" ”

Zhang Yuan said to the second elder: "My son has an idea, I don't know if the second elder agrees?" Seeing that his parents were paying attention to listening, he continued: "I respect Zong Yishan's academic character and make friends with his friends, if he is also interested in Yiting, it is better to ask the second elder to recognize Yiting as a righteous daughter, so that everyone is happy, I don't know what the second elder thinks?" ”

Zhang's mother Lu Shixi said: "This idea is good, Yiting has always been intimate with me, and I think it is exactly what I want as a righteous daughter." "Looking at Zhang Ruiyang, listening to her husband's instructions-Zhang Ruiyang smiled and said: "I expected Xiao Yuan to come up with this idea, and it is indeed the best of both worlds, it is nothing more than a makeup dowry, and now the family is wide-" Zhang Ruiyang was silent, and waved his hand to let Zhang Yuan go to Zong Yishan to talk.

Zhang Yuan and Mu Zhenzhen went downstairs to the back garden, and met Yi Ting at the entrance of the hall, Zhang Yuan smiled and said: "Sister Yi Ting, don't be anxious, please wait for good news, I will grow old that month." ”

Yi Ting's face was suddenly flushed, and he hurried back to the inner courtyard, and saw the rabbit pavilion coming downstairs to find her, so he followed him upstairs, Zhang's mother Lu made it clear to her that she wanted to marry her as a daughter, Yi Ting cried with joy, and fell to the ground - about half an hour later, I heard the sound of the stairs, Zhang Yuan came back, and as soon as he entered the door, he bowed his hand to Yi Ting and said: "Congratulations to Sister Yi Ting, good things are coming." ”

Zhang Ruiyang and Lu Shi were both smiling, Lu Shi looked at Yi Ting and said: "My Yi Ting has a good heart, neat people, and is capable, Zong Yishan has no reason not to agree." Said to Zhang Ruiyang: "Ming said that the second elder of the Zong family will be invited to agree on the marriage date, and let Yiting marry after Xiaoyuan gets married." Then he said: "In the past few years, Yiting has helped me take care of my family affairs, and when Yiting marries, I will have to worry more." ”

Zhang Ruiyang said: "Yiting marries out, won't the Shang girl also marry into the door." ”

Zhang's mother Lu said: "I will go out with Xiao Yuan in the future." ”

Zhang Ruiyang smiled at his old wife and said: "You are still worried that no one will take care of the rent of the valley field with so much money, what do I do, I have managed such a large Zhou Wangfu in an orderly manner——"

Zhang Ruiyang is not boasting, Peng Shichang is to manage the affairs of the palace, things are extremely complicated, and it is not good to do nothing.

When Zhang Yuan was discussing the marriage between Zong Yishan and Yi Ting with his parents, Yi Ting stood on the side with a red face and said nothing, a rare quietness...... On the morning of the 14th, Zhang Ruiyang, Zhang Yuan and Zhang Dai, Zhang Cao sent Ni Yuanlu and Huang Zunsu on the boat, Ni Yuanlu's family was in Shangyu, Huang Zunsu was in Yuyao, both of them were like arrows, and when they said goodbye to the Zhang brothers at the bow of the boat, Huang Zunsu said: "The marriage date of Zongzi Xiandi is the sixth day of the second month, Yanke Xiandi is February 16, and Jiezi Xiandi is April 12, during which there is also a Hanshe assembly, it seems that I will stay in Shanyin for three months next year." ”

Ni Yuanlu said with a smile: "Zongzi, Xian Kunzhong is rushing to get married, are you ready to go to Beijing to take the exam after the marriage?" ”

Zhang Dai said: "I will be nineteen years old after the New Year, and I will get married early so that the old people in the hall can rest assured." ”

Zhang Cao rolled his eyes and said, "I will be a father if I don't get married." ”

Lumei has been pregnant for more than four months, and will give birth in April and May next year, Zhang Cao is not very happy, but his mother Wang is very happy, Lumei's status has risen immediately, and there is no need to serve and wait, and she specializes in raising a fetus - sent away Ni and Huang, Zhang Dai and Zhang Cao returned to Xizhang, Zhang Yuan took Wuling and Laifu to visit the teacher's house in a small canopy boat, and arrived at the small wharf of Dongdachi, Laifu carried a gift box and followed the young master and Xiaowu to the shore, which said that the weather was fine, and the snow on the street was swept on both sides, and the coarse sand was sprinkled with anti-slip, The three of them came to Wang Siren's mansion, the old man was wearing a thick jacket and a hat, and when he saw Zhang Yuan, he was surprised at first: "Ah, Zhang Gongzi is back!" Then his face darkened, and he looked a little embarrassed, and said: "Zhang Gongzi, please wait a while, and the villain will go to report." ”

When the old man went in to report, Zhang Yuan stood in front of the palace and looked at the apricot grove on the side of the Xinghua Temple, the apricot trees were dotted with ice and snow, Zhang Yuan, who had poor eyesight, looked far away, as if the pear blossoms of a tree were in full bloom, Cen Shen's poem "Suddenly like a night of spring breeze, thousands of trees and pear blossoms bloom" is this kind of scene, I can't help but remember the scene of the teacher here after he won the first trial case in April, when Mr. Wang had entered Beijing, he resigned after meeting Mr. Wang's mother, and the infant sister chased out of the door wall, and he listened to the sound of apricot blossoms falling in the shadow of the door wall, but more than half a year, Why does he think that it is already a very distant thing, is he getting farther and farther away from his sister Yingzi?

"Disciple-"

Wang Siren's eldest son, Wang Binglin, walked out quickly, bowed his hand to Zhang Yuan, and invited Zhang Yuan to sit down in the hall, his expression was also a little embarrassed, and after listening to Zhang Yuan talk about the interesting things of the Guozi Prison for a while, his expression became relaxed, and he smiled: "Is the Southern Supervisor so strict now, but I was not very restrained in the Southern Prison at that time——"

Zhang Yuan asked: "How is the teacher in Beijing, but can he make up for the official?" ”

Wang Binglin said: "My father has a letter in October, and he will be appointed as the official of Yuanzhou Mansion, and he will return to Huiji in a few days, and he will go to Yuanzhou next year." ”

The official is in charge of the criminal name of the first government, it is the seventh grade, the same level as the county, and the Yuanzhou Mansion belongs to Jiangxi-Zhang Yuanxi said: "That's great, as soon as the teacher comes back, please send someone to inform my brother." ”

Wang Binglin nodded and said, "Okay, my father appreciates you very much, and I mentioned you in the last letter." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "The teacher's kindness is inscribed in the five." ”

Wang Binglin sighed, his brows furrowed, and he was speechless for a while.

Zhang Yuan said bluntly: "Why is Senior Brother Wang sighing, please say it to my brother." ”

Wang Binglin looked at Zhang Yuan, hesitated for a moment, and said: "I can't hide it, it's about the little sister Yingzi, Qiantang Gongsheng Ding is my classmate and friend, I know that I have a young sister who is not married, and I came here from Qiantang to propose marriage a few months ago, Jiaci is quite satisfied with this Ding Sheng's character and family background, but I can't help it——"

Speaking of this, Wang Binglin shook his head and quickly added: "I know the character of my virtuous brother, so I will say bluntly, Yingzi is unwilling to discuss marriage with others because of you." ”

Zhang Yuan took a deep breath and said, "I want to talk to Senior Sister Yingzi, I don't know if it's okay?" ”

Wang Siren's son is not a stereotypical person, Wang Binglin nodded and said: "It's okay, the bell must be tied to the bell, and you still have to untie the heart knot of the baby, you can persuade her well, you will get married in April next year, right?" After that, he stood up, walked a few steps and turned back and said, "Brother Xian, wait in the study, I will go to know Jiaci." ”

Zhang Yuan and Wang Yingzi met, of course, it was not good to fight in the hall - the study in the front yard of Wang Siren's house was the place Zhang Yuan was most familiar with, and the furnishings in the study were the same as before, there was no brazier in the study, it was very cold, Zhang Yuan waited for a while, paced to the north window of the study, but saw a big snowman piled up on the side of the thin bamboo outside the window, the snowman black charcoal for the eyes, carrots for the mouth, no nose, just like that, the eyes were black, the lips were bright red sitting under the thin bamboo, facing the north window of the study - suddenly heard someone behind him whispering: "This snowman is a scholar, Supervise the readers in the study. ”

Zhang Yuan turned around, and saw Wang Yingzi standing by the door of the study, his eyes were wide open and looking at him, the younger sister was smiling, and there was a little girl holding a copper stove outside the door - "Senior sister Yingzi has always been fine." Zhang Yuanzuo said.

The delicate and thin Wang Yingzi blessed Zhang Yuan and said with a smile: "Senior Brother Jie Zi always has to say some polite words, right?" As he spoke, he beckoned to the little girl outside the door, and the little girl walked in, timidly handed the hand-warming copper stove to Zhang Yuan, Zhang Yuan took it, but handed it to Wang Yingzi, and said: "Senior sister, hold your hand warmer, I'm not cold." ”

Wang Yingzi let the little girl out, and she and Zhang Yuan were left in the study, the dark yellow flat round copper stove rested on the desk, trying to exud heat in the cold room - Zhang Yuan and Wang Yingzi sat down across the desk, Wang Yingzi's big eyes looked at Zhang Yuan non-stop, and said, "What does Senior Brother Jie Zi want to say to me?" ”

Zhang Yuan pondered for a while, and when he faced Wang Yingzi, he suddenly felt that the words he had thought of were inappropriate, and he hesitated for a while - Wang Yingzi put his two palms on the wall of the copper furnace, stared at Zhang Yuan, and said softly: "Senior Brother Jiezi, have I embarrassed you?" ”

Zhang Yuan raised his eyebrows: "Why do you say that?" ”

Wang Yingzi asked, "Did Senior Brother hear some rumors and feel unhappy?" He added: "I know that Senior Brother is going to marry Miss Shang." ”

Zhang Yuan understood what Wang Yingzi meant, and couldn't help but be moved in his heart, and said: "I'm not unhappy, I'm just a little worried about my junior sister-" The wording was a little difficult.

Wang Yingzi looked at Zhang Yuan, her hands were slowly withdrawn, and the copper furnace was also moved to the table, Wang Yingzi's big eyes were slowly filled with tears, her head was slightly lowered, her eyes couldn't hold it, and the tears dripped on the copper furnace, dripping into the charcoal fire from the hollow, making a "snort" sound, and the cold air in the room suddenly had a kind of tearful warmth - Wang Yingzi's voice was still calm, and said: "Senior Brother Jiezi, as a woman, I am really helpless, I have a belly full of poetry and books, but I can only do eight shares of leisure, I want to travel the world, but I can only stay in the boudoir, I don't want to get married, but I am persecuted everywhere - alas, how to say, I do like Brother Jiezi, and it is very pleasant to associate with Brother Jiezi, so that I can't help but be happy just by quietly thinking about it in my heart, Brother Jiezi, will there be a man like you in this world? ”

Wang Yingzi asked Zhang Yuan like this, but didn't wait for Zhang Yuan to speak, but replied to himself: "Even if there is, I can't know it, my father won't accept such a student who comes to learn Bagu, and the student won't follow me to the bamboo forest in the garden to dig bamboo shoots, and he won't ask me to write Bagu Wen on his behalf, so, a hundred years of life, at the end of the world, I only know Senior Brother Jiezi alone-"

Speaking of this, Wang Yingzi wiped her tears with the back of her hand, and said with some embarrassment: "I don't know where so many tears came from, they are about to extinguish the hand warmer, and I am not sad, really, Senior Brother Jie Zi, I am not sad, it is a very fast thing to know Senior Brother Jie Zi, it is like a dark room with a window, and there is a magical light coming in, this kind of light is neither light nor moonlight, I have never seen it before-" Looking at Zhang Yuan, he reached out and took out a silk handkerchief from the bottom of his sleeve and handed it to Zhang Yuan, saying: "Senior brother, wipe your eyes- ”

Wang Yingzi gently stroked the hand-warming copper stove, looked at Zhang Yuan and said: "Just like I don't dare to save the infatuation of the female champion, I haven't thought about marrying Senior Brother Jiezi, Senior Brother already has Miss Shang, and my family background does not allow me to be a concubine, but I still like Senior Brother Jiezi, just like I can't participate in the imperial examination but I like to write eight strands of writing, which hinders anyone, I don't want to marry Senior Brother Jiezi has nothing to do with it, it's because I don't like that person, Senior Brother Don't feel guilty, this is my own business, no one blames me, Do women have to find someone to marry, I read, learn poetry, paint, and sometimes think about Brother Jiezi, don't I also live well? ”

Zhang Yuan couldn't say a word at this time, he didn't expect that the infant sister was so affectionate, Kuang helped the troubled times, resisted the enemy and saved the country, he had the confidence to do it step by step, but in the face of the laughing and tearful infant sister, he felt that he was very powerless, unable to do the best, the word of love is the most difficult to understand, this is not something that can be solved by breaking any rules and regulations - Wang Yingzi said at this time: "My brother said that Senior Brother Jie Zi has something to say to me, what does Senior Brother Jie Zi want to say?" ”

Zhang Yuan stretched out his arm, stroked the back of Wang Yingzi's hand covering the copper furnace, and said, "Senior sister Bing Xue is smart, I am far behind." ”

Wang Yingzi smiled and said, "Looking forward to Senior Brother's Township Exam next year, Senior Brother's Chinese style, I can be Chinese, right?" ”

Zhang Yuan also smiled: "Senior sister is right. ”

Wang Yingzi said again: "My father will come back in a few days, but I am afraid that he will force me to marry Na Dingsheng, and my senior brother will help me with good words." ”

Zhang Yuan said "uh" and said, "Good words, this seems too strange." ”

Wang Yingzi laughed and said, "Teasing Senior Brother, how dare you trouble Senior Brother to do such a dangerous thing-"

Infant sister always has the ability to make people happy, she has no resentment - Wang Binglin paced in the courtyard outside the academy gate, heard the study whispering endlessly, his hands and feet were cold, and finally he couldn't stand it anymore, and went into the study and asked, "Brother Jie, how did you persuade you?" ”

Wang Yingzi replied: "Not good. ”

Wang Binglin was speechless, it was already noon at this time, Wang Binglin invited Zhang Yuan to the banquet, and asked Zhang Yuan what his sister Yingzi thought in his heart? Zhang Yuan couldn't answer, so he had to say: "Senior Sister Yingzi is extremely smart, she knows very well what she is doing. ”

Coming out of Teacher Wang's house, Zhang Yuan did not return by boat, but walked back to Shanyin through the Yuewang Bridge, stood at the head of the Yuewang Bridge and looked at the snow-capped White Horse Mountain, and said in his heart: "If you know that the younger sister of the infant is thinking like this, I don't know what you will think?" ”

Zhang Yuan returned to Dongzhang's mansion, and Xiao Shi greeted him and said with a nervous face: "Young master, there is an elder with red hair and green eyes who wants to see the young master, sit in the hall and wait, that looks so scary!" ”

Zhang Yuanxin said: "The red-haired and green-eyed elder, who will this be?" ”

(To be continued)